National League Roundup : Perez Starts the Way He Finished in 5-1 Victory

The Baseball Register includes just about every player able to walk onto a major league diamond. When Pascual Perez didn’t make the 1987 edition, it was obvious the former ace of the Atlanta Braves was long gone.

It appeared that the Dominican pitcher’s turbulent career was ended when, after going 1-13 in 1985, he was cut adrift by the Braves in April 1986.

But late last summer, Perez, who will be 31 next month, showed up to lend a hand in the Montreal Expos’ belated drive in the Eastern Division. He won seven in a row and posted a 2.30 earned-run average. Still, most people thought it was just a fluke.

The New York Mets, confidently expecting to win the division this season, found that Perez was no fluke Wednesday night at Montreal.

Perez struck out nine and gave up seven hits, missing a shutout by one out as the Expos beat the Mets, 5-1. It was his eighth consecutive victory, tying a club record.

Mitch Webster, who was 3 for 4 in the opening-night loss, went 4 for 4, scoring three runs and driving in another.

Perez had two out in the ninth when Darryl Strawberry singled and Kevin McReynolds doubled him home. The Expos brought in Tim Burke to get the last out.

“I wanted my first shutout in four years,” Perez said. “Then after the run, I wanted to finish. But Buck (Manager Bob Rodgers) said no, and I gave him the ball.”

Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 5--Milt Thompson singled home Juan Samuel from second base with two out in the 14th inning at Philadelphia to give the Phillies their first win of the season in a marathon battle.

Mike Maddux, whose younger brother, Greg, shut out Atlanta earlier in the night, pitched three shutout innings to gain the victory.

Bobby Bonilla, who hit a three-run home run while batting left-handed in the third inning, homered from the right side in the eighth to get the Pirates even and send the game into extra innings.

Mike Schmidt hit his second homer of the season for the Phillies. He has 532 in his career.

Houston 5, San Diego 1--Following a disastrous 1987 season, Bob Knepper stirred up a hornet’s nest during spring training with his chauvinistic comments about umpire Pam Postema.

The veteran left-hander raised a few more eyebrows with his pitching in this game at Houston.

Knepper’s pitching was in direct contrast to most of his efforts last year, when he lost 17 games and had an earned-run average of 5.27. He gave up seven hits and a run in seven innings.

With Glenn Davis hitting a three-run home run in the first inning, it was all Knepper needed to post the victory. Davis has two homers in two games.

Chicago 3, Atlanta 0--When the Cubs posted the worst record in the East last season, rookie Greg Maddux suffered.

In 27 starts, the 21-year-old right-hander went the distance only one time. He was 6-14 and had an ERA of 5.61.

In his first start this season, in a hitter’s park in Atlanta, he battled control problems but gave up only three hits.

“Things happened last year that will not happen this year,” he said. “I was not afraid to throw curves when behind in the count. I won’t give in and throw the fastball.”